Water-power wheel



Dec. 4, 1923.

W.v MILLER WATER POWER WHEEL Filed June 22 I awwewcoz 8W6 MWZM/ PatentedDec. 4, 1923.

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WILLIAM MILLER, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

WATER-POWER WHEEL.

Application filed June 22, 1922.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM MILLER, a citizen of the United States, andresident of the borough of Manhattan, city, county, and State of NewYork, have invented new and useful Improvements in l/Vater-Power Wheels,of which the following is the specification. V v

The device, the subject of this invention is intended as a means forcontrolling the flow of water from a water wheel and has particularlyfor its features, means for controlling the flow of water away from apower wheel, the object being to control the flow so that a certaincushion of water will be re tained on the discharge side of the powerwheel, the cushion being retained by a movable gate which may be movableat a desired speed of discharge of the water and 1e gardless always ofthe amount of water flowing in or toward the wheel.

Another object of the invention is to control the speed of a power wheelwithout recucing the amount of water flowing from the wheel in otherwords to change the speed, without changing the torque and anotherobject of this invention is to provide means whereby water may be mostreadily discharged from a power water wheel, allowing the wheel torotate more freely and more rapidly. All of these objects and the meansfor accomplishing them will be fully set forth as the specificationprogresses and the accompanying drawing should be re ferred to for acomplete understanding of the specification which follows In the drawingFig. 1 is a plan view of my device, and

Fig. 2 a side elevation, partly in section, showing the operatingmechanisms and other constructions.

Similar reference numerals indicate like parts in all the figures wherethey appear.

I utilize as a part of my invention a suitably supported fiume orconduit. I prefer, however, that the angles of the flume should besimilar to those shown in Fig. 2 of the drawing, wherein the inlet is inthe direction of the arrow I, the water passing the screen 5, the inletbeing controlled by a gate valve 6 and it will be noted that the end ofthe fiume is trumpet shaped as shown at 7.

fter passing the gate 6, the water drops through the angular passage 8upon a water wheel 9 and it will be noted that this wheel 9 does notentirely fill the fiume at that part Serial No. 570,070.

where the wheel is mounted. As this wheel 9 is not the main power wheel,a part of the water passing through the .flume may be allowed to passthe wheel 9 without exerting its weight or force thereon. v

I All of the water passing the wheel9 is received in the angularlydisposed directioning nozzle 10, which is a part of the fiume body andis from there directed into the buckets 11, formed by the blades of thewheel 12 and is discharged into the tank 13 which is formed as shown inFig, 1, of the bulged or extended portion of the fiume.

Adjacent this tank is a movable gate or discharging member, whichconsists of a plurality of rotatable paddles 14, rotated by a meanswhich I will describe and at a speed that may be pre-determined andchanged at will. A check valve 15 is provided and a gate valve 16 for apurpose that shall appear later and it will be noted that the finaldischarge passage of the flume is also trumpet shaped as shown at 17 Thedischarge end 17 of the fiume at times, may be submerged and for thatreason I provide the check valve 15 and gate valve 16, by which means Iprevent the filling up of the fiume when the discharging device 14 isstopped.

Upon the shaft 18 of the smaller wheel 9, I arrange a sprocket 19driving a chain 20, which rotates a sprocket 21, a first jack shaft 22and a gear 23 thereon.

Parallel with the jack shaft 21 is another jack shaft 24 having a gear25 in mesh with a gear 23 and by means of which the shaft 24 is rotated.A sprocket 26 upon the shaft 24 operates a chain 27, which in turndrives the movable gate or discharge member 14 through a sprocket 28upon the shaft thereof.

It will be noted that I provide a bracket 29 for the short jack shafts,supporting these shafts so that the gears 23 and 25 may be readilychanged at will and the relation of these gears vary so that the speedof rotation of the movable gate or discharging member 14 may be changedat will.

Upon the shaft 29 of the main power wheel 12, I may arrange a clutch 30or any other power take-off member, connecting this power take-offmember within the device that it is my desire to drive. The direction ofrotation of the water wheels and gate are indicated by the arrows shownin the fiumes and adjacent to these members.

Water passing into the flume in the direction of the arrow I, will passdownward through the fiume, some of it rotating and some of it passingthe smaller power wheel 9. All of the water will continue onwardoperating the large power wheel 12 and will be received into thecushioning or reception chamber 13.

The movable gate member 14 operating from the smaller wheel 9 will forcethe water outward through the check valve" 15 at a speed that shall bedetermined by the rotation of this wheel. If desired, the rotation ofthe wheel 14 may be fast enough to discharge all of the water as it isreceived, at which time the wheel 12 will operate at its maximum speedand power. If, however, the speed of the discharging member 14 isslower, some of the water will be held backward tending to check thewheel 12 and preventing the racing of the wheel when the load isdropped.

Another important reason for the rotary discharge gate 14 is that itwill force water out of the fiume' even when the discharge end of thefiume is submerged below the surface of the water.

I may provide means, such as shifting gears for readily changing thespeed of the member 14 and other modifications may be made within thescope of the appended claims without departing from the principle orsacrificing the advantages of the invention.

Having carefully and fully described my invention what I claim anddesire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. Means for controlling thedischarge of water from a water wheel, which consists of a primary wheeland a secondary wheel, and a movable gate operated by'said secondarywheel and adapted to retain or discharge the water from the dischargeside oi the primary wheel.

2. Means for controlling the discharge of water from a water wheel,which consists of a primary wheel and a secondary wheel, and a movablegate operated by said secondary Wheel and adapted to retain or dischargethe water from the discharge side of the primary wheel, and means forvarying the speed of said discharge.

3. A means for controlling the discharge of water from the water wheelwhich consists of a conduit, a plurality of water wheels in saidconduit, said wheels being of different diameters, a cushioning chamberinv said conduit and a movable gate adjacent, said cushioning chamber tocontrol the discharge therefrom.

4. A means for controlling the discharge of water from a water wheelwhich consists of a conduit, a plurality of water wheels in saidconduit, said wheels being of different diameters, a cushioning chamberin said conduit and a movable gate adjacent, said cushioning chamber tocontrol the discharge therefrom, said gate being opened and closed bythe movement of said wheel of smaller diameter.

5. A power means comprising a water conduit, a plurality of water wheelsarranged therein, and of different diameters, one said wheel receivingall of the water flowing through said conduit and the other said wheelreceiving a portion of the water flowing through said conduit, and meansoperated by one said wheel for controlling the discharge of water fromsaid conduit.

6. A power means comprising a water conduit, a plurality of water wheelsarranged therein, and of different diameters, one said wheel receivingallof the water flowing through said conduit and the other said wheelreceiving a portion of the water flowing through said conduit, and meansoperated by one said wheel for controlling the discharge of water fromsaid conduit, and a cushioning chamber between the larger of said wheelsand said'discharge controlling means.

Signed at' the city, county and State of New York, this 19th day ofJune, 1922.

WILLiAM MILLER.

